President John Dramani Mahama has expressed confidence that the establishment of 50 Farmers Service Centres across the country will transform Ghana’s agricultural sector by improving productivity, reducing production costs and increasing farmers’ incomes.
He said the centres would provide farmers with improved seeds, modern farming technologies, extension services and reliable markets for their produce.
President Mahama made the remarks during an inspection of construction works on the Farmers Service Centre at Asunafo North in the Ahafo Region.
He explained that the initiative was designed to address longstanding challenges confronting farmers, particularly low crop yields, high production costs and uncertainty over market prices.
“The world has become increasingly technological, and agriculture is no exception. We must adopt modern farming practices and technologies if we want to increase agricultural productivity in Ghana,” he said.
President Mahama noted that traditional farming practices, including the repeated use of seeds saved from previous harvests over several years, could affect seed quality and contribute to low agricultural productivity.
Using maize production as an example, he observed that Ghanaian farmers produce approximately two tonnes per hectare, compared with yields of between seven and nine tonnes per hectare in some other parts of the world.
He explained that low yields increase the effective cost of production because farmers’ expenditure is spread over smaller quantities of produce, thereby reducing profitability and making farming less attractive.
President Mahama said the Farmers Service Centres would educate farmers on improved farming methods and facilitate access to quality seeds capable of significantly increasing yields.
“One variety of maize seed may produce six or seven tonnes per hectare, while another variety may yield only three tonnes per hectare under comparable conditions. Therefore, farmers must have access to improved seeds that are suitable for their farming conditions,” he stated.
He added that agricultural research stations were working to identify and develop improved seed varieties, while the government would explore importing suitable varieties from countries such as Zambia where necessary.
The President further announced plans to introduce mobile applications to connect farmers directly to the service centres, enabling them to obtain information, seek assistance and receive technical guidance on their farming activities.
He said agricultural extension officers would also undertake periodic visits to farms to monitor crop conditions and provide technical advice to improve production.
On market access, President Mahama disclosed that the government would introduce a minimum guaranteed price for selected agricultural produce, including maize, to protect farmers against unfavourable market conditions.
He explained that the government would announce the minimum price at the beginning of each year, taking into account production costs and the prices of essential inputs such as seeds and fertilisers.
“If the prevailing market price is higher than the minimum guaranteed price, farmers will be free to sell their produce at the higher price and make additional profits,” he said.
However, where market prices fall below the guaranteed minimum, the government would purchase the produce at the agreed rate and channel it through relevant public institutions, including the National Food Buffer Stock Company.
According to President Mahama, the arrangement would provide a dependable market for farmers while helping to secure food supplies for schools, hospitals and correctional facilities.
He said the initiative would ensure that farmers had greater certainty about selling their produce while supporting the availability of food for schoolchildren, hospital patients and inmates.
President Mahama disclosed that the government was beginning with 50 Farmers Service Centres in areas with strong agricultural potential and established farming activities.
He recalled that he had recently visited the Afram Plains to cut the sod for the construction of the first Farmers Service Centre, describing the Asunafo North facility as the second centre whose construction he had personally witnessed.
He added that construction was ongoing at 15 centres, while the Minister for Finance would make the necessary budgetary allocations to facilitate the commencement of work on the remaining facilities.
President Mahama expressed optimism that the initiative would strengthen Ghana’s agricultural sector by addressing critical challenges across the production and marketing chain.
“When all 50 Farmers Service Centres are completed and fully operational, I am confident that we will see a major transformation in our agricultural sector,” he said.
The Farmers Service Centres form part of the government’s efforts to modernise agriculture, improve food security and increase the incomes of farmers through improved access to technology, quality inputs, technical support and dependable markets.
Story: Patrick Asford Boadu
